Romans 14:10-13 LB “You have no right to criticize your brother or look down on him.  Remember, each of us will stand personally before the Judgement Seat of God.  For it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue confess to God.’  Yes, each of us will give an account of himself to God.  So don’t criticize each other any more.  Try instead to live in such a way that you will never make your brother stumble by letting him see you doing something he thinks is wrong.”  

Lately I was remembering an article I read in the early 80’s by Catherine Marshall about Fault Finding.  She realized that her attitude against some people, and her judgement about their life, was starting to affect her prayer life and her attitude about them.  She decided to go on a Fault Finding Fast.  I thought about my own thoughts about what was happening around me and decided to try that too, and got started that very day.  I decided to spend the whole day and whenever I got a critical thought, I would pray about it and let it go.

I tried to think of how I could remind myself all day about not having any critical thoughts, and decided to print out on a good sized piece of paper, “No fault finding.”  Then I pinned it to the front of my shirt and wore it all day.  It really helped remind me of what I was trying to do and it kept poking me as I did my daily housework so I kept being reminded of what I was supposed to be doing.  Each time it poked me I prayed for God to help me to have pure thoughts and to pray for whoever came to mind that I had criticized.  That worked great until a cowboy friend came to the door to ask about something and couldn’t take his eyes off of the big piece of paper sticking out on my shirt.  I explained to him in embarrassment what it meant, and he just said, “Oh”.  What more could he say???

That day left an impression on me and it comes back to me at times so that I can check my mind for critical and judgmental thoughts. I have noticed over the years how there always seems to be someone in my life that actually gets annoying.  Rather than share my annoyance with others, or join in any conversation that’s being critical of others, I’ve decided to pray for that person and regularly bring them before the Lord for Him to work in their life and help them to be all they can be.  It’s not a quick fix, and the more I see them the more I am reminded to pray.  I’ve noticed, however, that I can see God working in their life as the time goes on and I am encouraged to continue praying for them.

Another thing happens when we are praying for someone; we aren’t always on the defensive when we are with them. We accept them as they are and they are more comfortable around us as they can sense a change in us.  Isn’t that the way God often works?  In order to change others, He has to change us first.  It starts with us; as we follow the Scriptures, no matter how much we want to see how it applies to others, God says it applies to us first.  I have to change, and be open and loving to others, just as Jesus was in His lifetime.  I want to be a follower of Jesus, and treat people as He would, so I have to look in the mirror and see where the change should begin.  And every time I do that, God opens up more in my life and gives me the freedom to do what He has for me to do.  

Ephesians 4:29-32 NASB  “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”  This is a verse I keep close to my heart and keep going back to over the years.  The word wholesome seems to have gone out of style lately, but it needs to be remembered in our speech so that we can promote spiritual health to those God puts in our life and trusts us with.  Let’s go on a Fault Finding Fast today to help promote Spiritual Health.